The UFC’s year-end card has received another new addition, as
promotion officials confirmed Friday that middleweight contenders
Chris
Weidman and Tim Boetsch
will face off at
UFC 155.

The Dec. 29 event takes place at a to-be-announced venue in Las
Vegas and is expected to be headlined by a heavyweight title bout
between Junior dos
Santos and Cain
Velasquez. The evening’s main draw airs live on pay-per-view
and will also see former two-time middleweight title contender
Chael
Sonnen make his return to 205 pounds against ex-light
heavyweight champ Forrest
Griffin.

Weidman, 28, has yet to taste defeat in his pro career, compiling
nine consecutive victories since his first fight in 2009. The
former Ring of Combat titlist has earned five wins in the Octagon,
most recently knocking out the highly-regarded Mark Munoz at
UFC on Fuel TV 4 in July.

"I think I’m the No. 1 contender in the division, but with [UFC
middleweight champion Anderson
Silva] not fighting for the rest of 2012, I want to stay busy
and keep getting better," said Weidman in the official release. "I
think I’m the best middleweight in the world, and I’m going to
prove it against another top contender.”

Three years older than his foe, Boetsch has not lost since making
the cut to 185 pounds last year. “The Barbarian” has posted four
straight wins as a UFC middleweight, outpointing Kendall
Grove and Nick Ring
before knocking out Yushin Okami
in a come-from-behind upset at UFC
144. Boetsch was last seen taking an uneventful split decision
from ex-Bellator pacesetter Hector
Lombard on July 21 at UFC
149.